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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Interview: Carson

>> With only days remaining before the band enters the studio, Carson took the time out to answer some questions. They have a lot of big plans, but they don't take themselves too seriously. They're dedicated to doing what they love - making music, and they're not letting anything stand in their way.

Carson is...

Taisha Bethea (19) - vocals

Peter Stipicevic (20) - guitar

Shaun Couture (18) - guitar

Spencer Caudill (19) - bass

Ben Laun (19) - drums

Where are you from? Describe the local music scene there.We're all from different states but live in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. The music scene here is mostly hardcore/metal but we don't mind. We all listen to some heavier music and everybody loves a good mosh. Even if it's at home by yourself because you're too scared to be in the pit...

How did the band come together?The band came together in a completely conventional way. All members moved to the area at different times but met in high school. Ben played in a band with Peter for awhile. That fizzled out but they stuck together. Ben got in touch with Taisha, a friend from school, and the three wrote together for months. Shaun emailed us and joined after the first jam. Perfect fit. Spencer came from another local band to play bass. That was in October of 2009 and we've been going strong ever since.

For those who haven't heard it yet, how would you describe your music?The music that most people have heard from us on our Myspace and Purevolume pages is pop/punk/rock. We recorded those three songs in our earliest stages when we did not yet have our full lineup. Needless to say, our sound has changed completely. We are recording a new EP in January of this year. People can expect to hear what they wouldn't expect from a previously pop/punk band. We'd like to think our sound is now more aggressive, more mature, and better overall. Stay tuned for a release date and let us know what you think!

You're going into the studio soon. Tell us about what you have planned.Ben tracks drums on January 23rd with producer Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, He is Legend). We're planning to record a 5 song EP. A release date has not yet been set but we'll be in touch with everybody about that. We're really really excited to get something out that is current.

What is your writing process like?We don't really have a set writing process. That's something we're still trying to figure out. Shaun, Peter, Ben, and Spencer all play guitar so music ideas come from everywhere really. Taisha is constantly writing lyrics and melodies. At practice we just try and hash out whichever jam we're most into at the time. Sometimes we sit on song ideas for weeks and sometimes a song is written in an hour. Either way, we love it.

Out of all the songs you've written so far, which are you most proud of?Out of all the songs we have written so far, we are definitely most proud of the music that will be on our new EP. Our songs online right now were written in our early stages. We wrote how we knew other bands wrote. In writing our new material, however, we feel as if we have slowly developed a 'Carson' sound. Each new song we write feels a little better than the last. It's awesome to hear how we have grown as a band. New song ideas that are coming out in practice today are no exception. We're excited to keep going.

What are some of the problems you've encountered as a band?Being in a band is tough. We are five completely different, growing people coming together to do one thing. Any band that says they write without problems and get along perfectly is not telling the truth. Sometimes we disagree. Sometimes people can't make it to practice. It's very much like a family. Fortunately for us, we don't take ourselves too seriously and we are very open about everything. It's the best way. We are each 1/5 of the band and we wouldn't have it any other way.

What motivates you to keep going when times get tough?When times get tough (and they do get tough) we are quick to remind ourselves how lucky we are to be in this band. We remember how much fun it is to play and write music with our best friends. We look at all the people who have helped us out online with Street Teams, Fan Sites, etc. We think about the alternative - not playing music. Any lack of sleep, disagreement, or bad day holds no weight against those things.

How can fans get in contact with you or hear your music?Anybody can add us on our personal Facebook pages. We love to make new friends. We have plans for www.carsonrock.com to be up soon. Also, check out these sites...

Is there anything else you'd like to say?Thank you to everybody who has listened to our music, come to any of our shows, promoted us online, promoted us not online, taken time to talk to us. anything. everything. We notice. Keep in touch!